2
« on: Monday 22 September 08 15:26 BST (UK) »
Hello to all,
As you can see I´m still searching for the origins of Hillyard Stuart.
The following letter has been discovered amongst some old papers .. which seems to indicate that Hillyard was at Trentham in 1916 and discharged at the beginning of 1917.
.. from there it seems he moved to Hastings.
Please could someone inform me if there exists any archive of Inmates at Trentham during 1916. . or list of discharged people at the begining of 1917?.. or even any information who belonged to "The Expeditionary Forces".
As the letter begins "Dear Old Gee" ..Maybe Hillyard had another first name .. so it would be interesting to see what other Stuart´s were at Trentham during that time.
The printed letter heading is:-
‘N.Z. Expeditionary Forces
Trentham. 20th June 1917
It reads:-
‘Dear Old Gee but I’m sad
Since you left us we have lost Fountain and Taylor so that the happy family was doomed for a short life and a gay one. Three chaps from No 2 mess have replaced the transferred men but altogether the good fellowship has not been the same. The cat occasionally visits us but we are sorry to have to report that she is in an interesting condition and the boys here say that although they are sports they would not like to take the blame – no doubt the whole thing will come out in routine Orders until then nuff said –
(This next sentence is interesting!)
........................................... I have received a letter from you which I showed to the rest of No 1 mess and I have re-addressed a few letters and a parcel to you at Hastings. Barney who knows all tells me to inform you that all discharged men since 1st January1917 are to receive I months pay at least – So you may get a big cheque some day from the Govt. as a back pay. Jenkins wants to know if his bag has been sent back yet. He hasn’t received it and he says that you might have sent it by rail and yet no advise has been sent to him regarding same. There is no great urgency first but if you have already sent it you can drip me a line giving directions.
All the boys have had colds and coughs but now they are all fairly right again – we are being worked like bullocks now – Wilding transferred to Q.M. Stores. S.M. Yarrow is still ..? .. for a presentation and still all ass.
Kind regards from
Yours Sincerely …? Rudole Budole?
Some of the other signatures look like Allan Guthrie, J Hewitt, ? Taylor, G Campbell, Barry O’Sullivan.’
Regards Rosemary
PS .. Got my fingers crossed .. this could be "The big Break"
Show Posts